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Murano Sommerso Birds

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1980's Sommerso Murano Glass Bird Swan Statue Catchall Sculpture
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A Murano glass sculpture depicting a swan in clear and green. A nice addition to any room. Made in
Category

20th Century Italian Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass

Pair of Sommerso Art Glass Song Birds / Sparrows by Murano Glass Studios
By Murano 5
Located in San Diego, CA
Nice pair of art glass song birds / sparrows by Murano glass studios, circa 1970s in a green / gold
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass, Sommerso

1970's Sommerso Murano Glass, Birds, Doves on a Tree, Sculpture
By Murano Glass Sommerso, Alfredo Barbini
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A Murano glass sculpture depicting four birds in white and light pink perched on a clear glass tree
Category

Vintage 1970s Italian Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass

Art Glass Murano Swan Bird Animal Figurine
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in Toronto, ON
Beautiful art murano glass swan figurine. This art glass figurine was made using the Sommerso
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass

Vintage Murano Glass Dove Bird Paperweight, Italy 1960s
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This vintage murano glass paperweight features a delightful sitting bird design. The clear and blue
Category

Vintage 1980s German Modern Paperweights

Materials

Art Glass

Murano Mid-Century Ruby Glass Bird Mounted Twin Candlestick
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
An unusual and stunning Italian Venetian mid-century ruby glass bird mounted twin candlestick made
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Glass

Materials

Blown Glass

Murano Mid-Century Ruby Glass Bird Mounted Twin Candlestick
Murano Mid-Century Ruby Glass Bird Mounted Twin Candlestick
Free Shipping
H 5.62 in W 7.58 in D 4.14 in
Mid-Century Modern Sculptural Italian Murano Hand Blown Art Glass Birds C1965
By Murano Glass Sommerso
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous set of three hand blown art glass birds. Chickens, are amazing in the various color
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass

Italian Murano Art Glass Pheasant Bird Sculpture 1960s
By Murano Glass Sommerso, Barovier&Toso
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Italian Mid-Century Murano Art Glass Bird Pheasant Sculpture Bird 1960s. Vintage Italian Mid
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass

Art Glass Sommerso Murano Swan Bird Figurine
By Flavio Poli
Located in Toronto, ON
Stunning Murano Art glass swan bird figurine. This bird figurine was made using the sommerso
Category

Vintage 1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass

Murano Sommerso Red Amethyst Fade Italian Art Glass Bird Sculpture Figure
By Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano handblown Sommerso red amethyst Italian art glass guinea or quail bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Glass

Seguso Murano Sommerso Green Golden Orange Art Glass Italian Bird Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful tall vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso green to golden orange Italian art glass Heron
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass

Luciano Gaspari Salviati Signed Murano Sommerso Italian Art Glass Toucan Bird
By Salviati, Luciano Gaspari
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful and rare, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso purple to blue Italian art glass toucan
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Archimede Seguso Murano Sommerso Blue Italian Art Glass Swan Bird Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso cobalt blue and aqua blue Italian art glass swan bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Glass, Sommerso

Cenedese Murano 1961 Sommerso Champagne Italian Art Glass Bird Sculptural Vase
By Gino Cenedese, Antonio da Ros, Cenedese
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso green and champagne color Italian art glass sculptural
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Glass

Murano Sommerso Glowing Uranium Green Italian Art Glass Owl Bird Sculpture
By Livio Seguso, Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, and large, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso glowing Uranium green Italian art glass
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Uranium Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Murano Sommerso Glowing Uranium Green Italian Art Glass Owl Bird Figurine
By Alfredo Barbini, Cenedese
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful and cute, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso bright yellow-green with inner olive green
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Murrine, Uranium ...

Seguso Murano Sommerso Orange Red Italian Art Glass Flying Duck Bird Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, extra large, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso golden yellow orange over red, Italian
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso

Cenedese Murano 1961 Sommerso Red Gray Italian Art Glass Bird Sculptural Vase
By Gino Cenedese, Antonio da Ros, Cenedese
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso red and Neodymium gray Italian art glass sculptural
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Archimede Seguso Murano Sommerso Red Orange Italian Art Glass Owl Bird Figurine
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso yellow orange over red Italian art glass horned owl
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Sommerso, Art Glass, Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Murano Sommerso Aqua Blue Gold Leaf Italian Art Glass Bird Figures Paperweight
By Alfredo Barbini, Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso aqua blue and gold flecks Italian art glass bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Salviati Murano Sommerso Cobalt Blue Italian Art Glass Owl Bird Figure Sculpture
By Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso cobalt blue to clear Italian art glass owl bird figure
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Murrine, Glass

Livio Seguso Murano Sommerso Uranium Apple Gray Bird Italian Art Glass Sculpture
By Salviati, Livio Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, large vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso glowing Uranium green apple with gray bird
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Uranium Glass

Murano Sommerso Green Yellow Birds Blue Tail Uranium Italian Art Glass Sculpture
By Alfredo Barbini, Livio Seguso, Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful and large, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso green yellow, with blue tails Italian art
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Uranium Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Cenedese Murano Sommerso Uranium Blue Yellow Green Italian Art Glass Bird Bowl
By Cenedese, Antonio da Ros
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso glowing Uranium yellow over blue Italian art glass
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Uranium Glass

Murano Sommerso Glowing Uranium Yellow Red Heart Italian Art Glass Bird Figure
By Livio Seguso, Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, and large, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso glowing Uranium yellow green with dark
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Uranium Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Salviati Murano Sommerso Merlot Red Peach Italian Art Glass Owl Bird Sculpture
By Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage murano hand blown sommerso technique Italian art glass owl sculpture. Documented
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Murrine, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Murano Sommerso Uranium Yellow Blue Green Italian Art Glass Bird Duckling Bowl
By Cenedese, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso glowing Uranium yellow over blue Italian art glass
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide-P...

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso, Uranium Glass

Seguso Archimede Murano Large Pair Of Birds "Vetro Sommerso" Shaded
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Prato, Tuscany
pair of Murano glass birds; the design, full of soft curves and rounded ends, fascinates us with its
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Murano Glass

Murano Sommerso Orange Green Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Bird Figure Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso, Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Summerso orange, green and gold flecks Italian art glass bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Seguso Vetri d'Arte Murano Sommerso Pink Blue Italian Art Glass Bird Sculpture
By Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful and large, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso pink and blue Italian art glass bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Opaline Glass, Glass, Sommerso

Maestro Renato Anatra Large Sommerso Murano Art Glass Bird Sculpture Signed
By Renato Anatra
Located in Ann Arbor, MI
Maestro Renato Anatra Large Sommerso Murano Art Glass Bird Sculpture Signed By the artist as
Category

Vintage 1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Art Glass

Salviati Murano Sommerso Emerald Green Italian Art Glass Owl Figure Sculpture
By Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso dark to lighter emerald green Italian art glass owl
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Murrine, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Salviati Murano Glowing Uranium Art Glass Italian Bird Bookend Sculptures
By Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
birds bookend sculptures. Documented to the Salviati Company. Each has a generic "Murano - Made In Italy
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Bookends

Materials

Uranium Glass, Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Barbini Murano White Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Bird Figurine Paperweight
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown white and gold flecks Italian art glass bird on base figurine
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Pair of Seguso Murano Pink Blue Art Glass Bird Figure Paperweights, 1960s
By Seguso
Located in Barcelona, ES
Eye-catching pair of Murano Sommerso Dove Bird figures in pink and blue glass. Attributed to
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Blown Glass, Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Art Glass

Murano Opalescent White Blue Bubbles Italian Art Glass Dove Bird Figurines
By Fratelli Toso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Italian art glass dove bird figurines. Documented to the Fratelli Toso Company, with original "Murano
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Paperweights

Materials

Glass, Opaline Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Barbini Murano White Gold Flecks Pink Italian Art Glass Bird Figure Paperweight
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown white, pink and gold flecks Italian art glass bird on base
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Archimede Seguso Murano Pink Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Dove Birds, #R00005
Located in Norton, MA
Beautiful and very cute set of Murano hand-blown Pink Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Dove Birds
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Large Archimede Seguso Murano Purple Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Birds #R00007
Located in Norton, MA
Beautiful and very cute set of Large Murano hand-blown Purple Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Dove
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Archimede Seguso Murano Amber Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Dove Birds Figures
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful set of vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso amber and gold flecks art glass dove bird
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Barovier Toso Murano Teal Pink Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Bird Figurine
By Barovier&Toso, Ercole Barovier
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown teal green, pink, gold flecks and bubbles Italian art glass
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Seguso Murano Clear with Black Accents Italian Art Glass Owl Bird Figurine
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown clear crystal with black accents Italian art glass horned baby
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Murano Glass, Sommerso

Salviati Barbini Murano Iridescent Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Bird Bowl
By Alfredo Barbini, Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, and very rare Murano handblown orange Ombre fade rim Italian art glass encased bird
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Gold Leaf

Barbini Murano White Olive Green Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Birds Sculpture
By Alfredo Barbini
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown white, olive green and gold flecks Italian art glass birds on
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Seguso Murano Green Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Standing Duck Bird Figurine
By Archimede Seguso, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown green and gold flecks Italian art glass duck bird figurine
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Murano Emerald Green Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Swan Bird Sculpture Figurine
By Salviati, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown emerald green and gold flecks Italian art glass swan sculpture
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Seguso Murano Large Green Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Duck Bird Figurine
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, extra large, vintage Murano hand blown green and gold flecks Italian art glass duck bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Barbini Salviati Murano White Ribbons Gold Base Italian Art Glass Bird Sculpture
By Alfredo Barbini, Salviati
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown white ribbons art glass bird sculpture with gold flecks base
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Barovier Toso Murano Yellow Blue Gold Fleck Italian Art Glass Love Bird Figurine
By Barovier&Toso, Ercole Barovier
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown bright yellow and sapphire blue spots, bubbles and gold flecks
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Dino Martens Murano Variegato 1954 Aurene Iridescent Italian Art Glass Bird Bowl
By Aureliano Toso, Dino Martens
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Large and rare, vintage Murano hand blown red and amber color threads decoration with iridescent
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Bowls

Materials

Gold Leaf

Archimede Seguso Murano Cobalt Blue Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Bird Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown cobalt blue and gold flecks Italian art glass bird on clear
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Cenedese Murano Vaseline Yellow Red Heart Italian Art Glass Bird and Bowl Set
By Cenedese
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Very cute, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso vaseline yellow with red heart Italian art glass bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Decorative Dishes and Vide-P...

Materials

Glass, Uranium Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Seguso Vetri d'Arte Murano Vintage Blue Opal White Italian Art Glass Bird Figure
By Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso opalescent white and sky blue Italian art glass bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Opaline Glass, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass

Seguso Vetri d'Arte Murano Vintage Opal White Blue Italian Art Glass Bird Figure
By Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso opalescent white and sky blue Italian art glass bird
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Sommerso, Art Glass, Opaline Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Murano Large Vintage White Spots Gold Fleck Italian Art Glass Dove Bird Figure
By Barovier&Toso, Ercole Barovier
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown white spots and gold flecks Italian art glass figurine
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Vintage Murano Art Glass Black Bird Mid-Century Modern, 1960's
By Barovier
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Beautiful mid-century modern Murano glass black bird in wonderful vintage condition. Mid-Century
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Blown Glass

Large Scale Vintage Murano Glass Duck Bird Figurine Sculpture Dino Martens
By Dino Martens, Barovier, Venini, Fratelli Toso, Seguso
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This is a large, massive duck sculpture from the 1950s made in the Sommerso and mezza filigrana
Category

Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass

Murano Red Multi-Color Millefiori Flowers Italian Art Glass Rooster Sculpture
By Galliano Ferro
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful, vintage Murano hand blown Sommerso red and millefiori flowers Italian art glass rooster
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Glass, Art Glass, Murrine, Sommerso, Murano Glass, Blown Glass

Murano White Pulegoso Bubbles Gold Leaf Italian Art Glass Duck Sculpture
By Archimede Seguso, Alfredo Barbini, Gabbiani
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown white "Pulegoso" bubbles and gold flecks Italian art glass duck
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

Seguso Vetri d'Arte Murano White Gold Flecks Italian Art Glass Baby Duck Figure
By Alfredo Barbini, Seguso Vetri d'Arte
Located in Kissimmee, FL
Beautiful vintage Murano hand blown white and gold flecks Italian art glass baby bird figurine
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Gold Leaf

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Murano Sommerso Birds For Sale on 1stDibs

There is a range of murano sommerso birds for sale on 1stDibs. Each of these unique murano sommerso birds was constructed with extraordinary care, often using glass, art glass and murano glass. Murano sommerso birds have long been popular, with older editions for sale from the 20th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. There are many kinds of murano sommerso birds to choose from, but at 1stDibs, mid-century modern, Art Deco and modern murano sommerso birds are of considerable interest. There have been many well-made murano sommerso birds over the years, but those made by Alfredo Barbini, Archimede Seguso and Barovier&Toso are often thought to be among the most beautiful.

How Much are Murano Sommerso Birds?

Murano sommerso birds can differ in price owing to various characteristics — the average selling price at 1stDibs is $850, while the lowest priced sells for $150 and the highest can go for as much as $5,000.

A Close Look at mid-century-modern Furniture

Organically shaped, clean-lined and elegantly simple are three terms that well describe vintage mid-century modern furniture. The style, which emerged primarily in the years following World War II, is characterized by pieces that were conceived and made in an energetic, optimistic spirit by creators who believed that good design was an essential part of good living.

ORIGINS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

CHARACTERISTICS OF MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGN

MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNERS TO KNOW

ICONIC MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE DESIGNS

VINTAGE MID-CENTURY MODERN FURNITURE ON 1STDIBS

The mid-century modern era saw leagues of postwar American architects and designers animated by new ideas and new technology. The lean, functionalist International-style architecture of Le Corbusier and Bauhaus eminences Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius had been promoted in the United States during the 1930s by Philip Johnson and others. New building techniques, such as “post-and-beam” construction, allowed the International-style schemes to be realized on a small scale in open-plan houses with long walls of glass.

Materials developed for wartime use became available for domestic goods and were incorporated into mid-century modern furniture designs. Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen, who had experimented extensively with molded plywood, eagerly embraced fiberglass for pieces such as the La Chaise and the Womb chair, respectively. 

Architect, writer and designer George Nelson created with his team shades for the Bubble lamp using a new translucent polymer skin and, as design director at Herman Miller, recruited the Eameses, Alexander Girard and others for projects at the legendary Michigan furniture manufacturer

Harry Bertoia and Isamu Noguchi devised chairs and tables built of wire mesh and wire struts. Materials were repurposed too: The Danish-born designer Jens Risom created a line of chairs using surplus parachute straps for webbed seats and backrests.

The Risom lounge chair was among the first pieces of furniture commissioned and produced by legendary manufacturer Knoll, a chief influencer in the rise of modern design in the United States, thanks to the work of Florence Knoll, the pioneering architect and designer who made the firm a leader in its field. The seating that Knoll created for office spaces — as well as pieces designed by Florence initially for commercial clients — soon became desirable for the home.

As the demand for casual, uncluttered furnishings grew, more mid-century furniture designers caught the spirit.

Classically oriented creators such as Edward Wormley, house designer for Dunbar Inc., offered such pieces as the sinuous Listen to Me chaise; the British expatriate T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings switched gears, creating items such as the tiered, biomorphic Mesa table. There were Young Turks such as Paul McCobb, who designed holistic groups of sleek, blond wood furniture, and Milo Baughman, who espoused a West Coast aesthetic in minimalist teak dining tables and lushly upholstered chairs and sofas with angular steel frames.

As the collection of vintage mid-century modern chairs, dressers, coffee tables and other furniture for the living room, dining room, bedroom and elsewhere on 1stDibs demonstrates, this period saw one of the most delightful and dramatic flowerings of creativity in design history.

Finding the Right animal-sculptures for You

Invite the untamed wonders of the animal kingdom into your home — and do so safely — with the antique, new and vintage animal sculptures available on 1stDibs.

Artists working in every medium from furniture design to jewelry to painting have found inspiration in wild animals over the years. For sculptors, three-dimensional animal renderings — both realistic and symbolic — crisscross history and continents. In as early as 210 B.C., intricately detailed terracotta horses guarded early Chinese tombs, while North America’s native Inuit tribes living in the ice-covered Arctic during the 1800’s wore small animal figurines carved from walrus ivory. Indeed, animal sculpture has a long history, and beginning in the 19th century, the art form started becoming not only fashionable but artistically validated — a trend that continues today. At home, animal sculptures — polished bronze rhinos crafted in the Art Deco style or ceramic dogs of the mid-century modern era — can introduce both playfulness and drama to your decor.

In the case of the frosted glass sculptures crafted by artisans at legendary French glassmaker Lalique, founded by jeweler and glass artist René Lalique, some animal sculptures are purely decorative. With their meticulously groomed horse manes and detailed contours of their parakeet feathers, these creatures want to be proudly displayed. Adding animal sculptures to your bookcases can draw attention to your covetable collection of vintage monographs, while side tables and wall shelving also make great habitats for these ornamental animal figurines.

Some sculptures, however, can find suitable nests in just about any corner of your space. Whimsical brass flamingos or the violent, realist bronze lions created by Parisian sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye are provocative and versatile pieces that can rest on windowsills or your desk. Otherwise, the brass cat shoehorns and bronze porcupine ashtrays designed by Viennese artist Walter Bosse are no longer roaming aimlessly throughout your living room, as they’ve found a purpose to serve.

Embark on your safari today and find a fascinating collection of vintage, modern and antique animal sculptures on 1stDibs.

Questions About Murano Sommerso Birds
  • 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023
    To tell if a bird sculpture is made of Murano glass, professionals recommend having an antiques dealer or Murano glass expert examine it. Otherwise, look for the signature of the artist or factory on the piece. Authentic Murano glass will often, but not always, include labels with the name of the workshop, the signature of the glass master and a certificate of authenticity. Use trusted online resources to determine if the maker's location is or was in Murano, in northeastern Italy. Seeing the word "Murano" on a glass decorative object doesn't mean that it is authentic. In fact, most genuine pieces won't show the word "Murano." Murano glass is identifiable by its richly layered colors and characteristic gold or silver flecks inside the glass. Authentic Murano glass often has small imperfections and an irregular shape due to the freeform creation process. Find a collection of Murano glass decorative objects on 1stDibs.